It has been a long time since I worked on Christmas. Japan is a different flavor when it comes to Christmas. Unless you are going on a date which is the big thing among the youth for Christmas, it is a pre-holiday event for grownups. Along with eating not much is done. Here the place, many places in Japan shut down for the New Year.

Anyway I worked on Sat. An easy day really, I changed a reefing line on one boat. Then the main event for my day at work, taking a new owner out on his boat, a Zen24. I got to spend a lot of time on the one in Alameda, it was nice having that boat. It sailed really nice and was comfortable. Not comfortable as in soft and snugly, because it is a bare boat, no padding, no cushions. However comfortable as in sailing. It is a sailing boat not a sit at the dock and hangout boat. I recall doing a sail around the Island on New Years on day.

It was part of an annual sailing community of Alameda area event. LZ and I took the Zen24, we got stuck in the mud along with several others. This was common in this event as the water is quite shallow at some parts. The timing has to be right. We ending up get loose with some help, however drained a lot of power from our electric engine batteries and needed to get a tow back to our dock as the wind for the day sucked!

Today’s sail was less eventful. We had a new Honda outboard, and good wind. The new owner has here at the marine for the last couple of weeks while we put on parts. The boat came by truck inside a container which was how it was shipped from Vietnam. We then added the sailing stuff to the mold. Sort of like buying a boat from IKEA. The new owner came and just watched, sometimes in the way of our work. I saw him today early just sitting on the deck of the boat , while everyone was getting ready for the handing over to the owner ceremony and launching.

BTW : I have noticed from doing several used boats to new owners here in Japan, that Japanese do not have the same superstition about renaming a boat. They want a new name , take off the old one and put on a new one. Simple as that.

The sail was easy, enough wind to make it pleasant. Although a bit chilly and somewhat overcast, and cloudy it was a good day for a sail with periods of Sun and steady wind. We went for a couple of hours. The new owner did not want to helm the boat he was too nervous. I pretty much had to insist he do so. He is a sailing student of mine. He has had only SBD class, which is basically docking. Still he purchased this brand new boat. He is scheduled now to take BKB class from me after the Holidays. Good I can use the two days of teaching work. I hope we use his boat for the class, makes sense if it just him.

It was a good short sail. We made it back in time enough for me to get off early. I went home and could eat and casually prepare for my night gig with the band…Chicago Rock

I arrived in time to setup without being rushed. I like that! Once everyone was set we started. I did the first song. I usually will not start the set, I dislike that. In this case a friend had to leave, she was sick and asked for me to do a song. I agreed, and did our only Christmas song. We had agreed to do “Merry Christmas Baby” since it was bluesy and easy to do. The lads did not want to put in too much effort. It played ok. Slow blues is hard to mess up.

It was a pretty low key evening, only a few people. More than I thought some were “guest” so no income for us. Oh well. Music wise the evening went ok. Well ok for a band that does not practice. The Doctor, tend to drag on a song, way too long, a couple of time the drummer and I had to do a forced ending to get hom to stop. It was really bad when someone turns a video comera on him. Kind of funny. It is his band so it is good for the customers when he gets up and roams out in front playing his leads in their face, or in this case right into the camera. Just do not drag out so long!

There was a guy there who I had seen at the other club, “OVERHEAT” I am thinking the doctor invited him. He took great interest in my 6 string Bass. He is a player also but I am not sure what. He was also pretty “faded” whole sitting there drinking more and nodding out a couple of times.

There was Christmas cake, we got paid enough for my train fare one way, the owner gave us a DVD of last month’s gig. Shocking some songs were not bad. All in all it was a pretty good evening. I just really wish we had it more together musically as a band. Oh well it is all practice. Maybe this year coming will open better doors with other musicians hookups.

Tomorrow I go back to the Mahjong 24 club, for the Jazz society band Christmas party. I have been busy for the last two months so have not been able to attend. I am looking forward to it. Nice people, good musicians.